


You Mess With My Family

by mystery_deer



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Angst, Kidnapping, M/M, just getting all my ideas out rn I will edit it later probably, my attempt at writing a longer thing, the whole squad is there but they're not the focus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-04 17:26:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17902391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mystery_deer/pseuds/mystery_deer
Summary: I wondered what would happen if Seamus Murphy already had a plan in action when he threatened Holt and this was the result.





	1. Your Life Is In Danger

Kevin lead a tour down the semi-busy halls of Columbia university. “This installation is composed of Constantine’s accounts of the first Punic war. In the year 263-” He turned along with his group when he heard a voice from the stairs.  
“Ah yes the first pubic war, the sexiest of all wars.” He stared in confusion as Peralta advanced towards him in a ridiculous wig. “Hi, Doctor Albrine Einsteib. I have an urgent question for you about ancient Greece!” Kevin began walking with him after signalling for his tour to continue without him. He wondered if this was another heist and dreaded that they might be doing them more than annually.  
  
“Of course Doctor- I feel like you said Einsteib?”  
“Yes that’s correct it’s a family name.” Far enough away from the group Kevin ducked his head slightly and lowered his voice.  
“What is going on?”  
“Captain Holt sent me, just follow my lead.” Jake’s voice rose once again but Kevin was turning what had just been said over in his head. What could his husband be doing? It was a police matter, obviously due to Peralta’s presence. He hoped it wasn’t too severe, though if it wasn’t why hadn’t he alerted him himself? “Put this on.”  
“A rose shearing hat at work? People will think I’m demented.”  
“Just put it on!” Kevin heaved a sigh internally and put on the hat and glasses. Just then he stopped in his tracks as Boyle walked up and took his place next to Jake. 

“Why is Boyle dressed as me?” He asked aloud. The only answer he received was being shushed and pulled into a classroom by a brawny man. He nearly screamed from the shock but managed to suppress it. Once inside the room the man rolled over a mobile av cart, he had a grim expression on his face and Kevin thought of attempting to run out but decided against it. His husband had organized this, this wasn’t just a dalliance of one of his subordinates. Though, he thought, narrowing his eyes. I can’t recall seeing this particular detective at the precinct.  
“Get in.” He said, looking towards the doorway. He had a Brooklyn accent and chewed gum. Kevin winced and glanced down at the cart. Get into it?  
“But this cart is-” The man’s gaze snapped back to him and he growled.  
“Get in!” Kevin jumped a bit, ducking down and climbing into the cart. He felt silly, cramped and nervous. The cart rolled outside but there was no noise from the person rolling it, just students and faculty walking about campus. His hands began to sweat, it was completely dark with his sunglasses on and something felt wrong. He resisted his instincts to shout, to roll out of the cart he still knew where he was and ask Raymond what the hell was going on. Raymond wouldn’t put me in danger. He rationalized, focusing on his breathing. You’re just being paranoid. He had to grab on to one of the beams of the cart when there was a sudden incline. Incline? What’s going on, there are no inclines- 

He squinted and took off his sunglasses when the cart came to a complete stop. They were moving but he wasn’t. After another silent moment he popped his head out of the darkness and saw a strange man grinning at him. He didn’t look like a detective. He had a shabby beard and a disgruntled look about him. He wasn’t a detective. Kevin thought, his hands feeling suddenly cold. Where am I?

“Professor Kevin Cozner, glad we could catch you at a good time. You need to come with us.” Kevin opened his mouth to protest, to ask where his husband was and who this man was and just what did he think he was doing. Then he felt the gun press into the back of his head and everything was too cold. “Your life is in danger.” The man in the black jacket grinned and Kevin felt his stomach lurch.


	2. Kevin...can't wait please help him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Discovery

The sun beat down on Rosa's face. She squinted, she hated these glasses. “Sarge come in, what’s your position? Over.” Silence. She leaned on the empty cart next to her.  
“Terry, c’mon man where are you?” Rosa tapped her foot impatiently. It was three minutes past the switch time. “Fuck this.” she said, bringing her radio receiver back to her mouth. “Captain, It’s three minutes past the switch time and Terry still hasn’t showed.”  
"I see." came the Captain's monotone reply. She scanned the crowd of students and professors, waiting.

Holt rushed out of the van without heeding Amy’s panicked calls for him to come back. He knew that he was blowing the mission, that they had planned and discussed and calculated everything but the past three minutes had been hell. It had been hell since the moment Seamus left that cafe, trailing threats and death along with him. He heard his radio begin to fill with chatter from the squad.  
“Jake have you or Charles seen the Sargent?”  
“No, we know Kevin was taken to the room he was supposed to be in though.”  
“But did you actually see Terry?”  
“.......uh.”  
“Jake!”  
“That’s a negative- BUT! I mean, who else could it have been?”

A man who’d started plotting how to get back at him ever since he found that truck empty. A man who heads one of the most ruthless crime families in New York City and who probably had at least four plans in his liar for what to do if Holt betrayed him. He cursed to himself, rushing to the room Jeffords was supposed to be in. No sign of him. How could I have been so foolish. He examined the room and came upon a suspicious object covered with a sheet near the back of the room. It was large, Sargent-Sized. He ignored the crudely drawn sign placed underneath it that read "Science - Anatomy Doll".  
Holt took his gun out his holster and slowly approached, letting the squad know where he was. “Sargent are you there?” no answer. Deciding that there was no time to waste he tore off the sheet. Jeffords was there, unconscious but breathing. 

“He’s here, he’s alive!” came Charles’ voice from the doorway. Holt had already begun to check his vitals. “Is he hurt Captain?”  
“Not badly but we should still get him to the hospital.” He holstered his gun, heart sinking deep down into his chest. “And we need backup, Seamus has Kevin.”


	3. If A Tree Falls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kevin wakes up in a strange place

Kevin woke up in darkness, confused and drowsy. He couldn’t remember falling asleep. He tried to sit up but realized quickly that his hands and feet were bound. He kicked into the darkness and hit what seemed like a soft wall. There was a noise from somewhere. He could feel himself moving, he was still in a vehicle of some sort. His thoughts felt stilted and his limbs were slower than they usually were, though fear was leaking into his consciousness and making everything sharper. 

Desperately trying to remember self defense tidbits his husband had taught him (don’t think about him now don’t think about him) Kevin tried to find any bit of light while he tested the tightness of the ropes. He winced, too tight. They were chafing his wrists making it painful to move.   
Momentarily defeated he began to panic. He couldn’t see but he could tell he was somewhere small and enclosed, since they were moving he assumed it was a car. So a trunk then. He could try to find the taillights and attempt to kick them out, though with his legs tied together and his brain just recovering from a fog his strength might be reduced. He remembered hearing once that being taken to a second location was the worst thing to let happen in a kidnapping. “Your life is in danger.” Those words being brought back to him put ice back to his veins. He was being kidnapped, he was going to die. (Don't think about him now don't think about him). 

Time passed with no way for him to gauge it. There was no light and he spent whatever time he had switching between trying to free himself from the ropes and trying not to panic. Eventually the car slowed to a stop and he heard conversation coming from outside. He tensed, preparing for a fight before he heard what was being said.  
“Hello sir, do you know why I pulled you over?” An officer? “Speed limit here’s 34.” Kevin took a breath, his fear overtaken by hope for the moment and began wildly kicking and stomping and screaming and making all manner of noise. “What the, what’s that?” he felt relief for a moment.

Before he heard the gunshot.

After a tense few moments the trunk opened and there stood the man who’d urged him into the cart, face splattered with blood. Kevin squinted in the sudden light as the man began to talk in his gravelly voice. “That’s on you.” He sneered, pointing somewhere beyond Kevin’s field of view. “What’re you doing awake anyway?” From somewhere in the car another man called out.  
“How much did you give him?”   
“The amount you told me.”   
“Are you an idiot, that can’t be right or else he’d still be unconscious so-” While the men argued Kevin slowly slowly slowly freed his feet from the ropes. His hands were tied too tightly to free but the bindings around his legs were more rushed and the combination of his earlier fiddling and the recent trashing was enough to allow him to remove them.   
“Listen I went to fucking Yale alright I don’t need- HEY!!” Kevin lunged at the large man, taking him down with surprise and stepping on his ample face as he made a break for it. He felt a crunch underneath his heel and tried not to think too much about it or the subsequent screaming.   
“Renaldo?” called the man in the black jacket. And then a roar, “WHAT THE FUCK? HE’S GETTING AWAY!”

Kevin ran into the nearest mass of trees he could find, fortunately they were by a highway, unfortunately he had no idea which highway and the road was thoroughly abandoned. Was this even still New York? How long had he been unconscious?  
He knew he couldn’t stop, he could hear people running and shouting and shooting behind him but he wasn’t used to this. He wasn't an athlete and he was panting and his side was cramping, his feet were sore from running in his work shoes and his arms tied behind him made it more difficult to balance. He prayed he didn't trip, pushed himself through the pain.

“I see him!” One of the kidnapper’s goons shouted, spurring Kevin on. He had to escape, he had to lose them. He could feel the man advancing on him, closer and closer and closer. His heart pounded but seemed too slow, like a heavy drum beat. His chest ached. He felt the man grab the back of his jacket, the sudden stop sending them both toppling down what quickly showed itself to be a hill. A ridiculously steep hill.

As he tumbled the man’s grip on him lessened and then dropped off completely in favor of covering himself, and Kevin instinctively attempted to do the same. Rolled up in a half-ball he still felt every branch, rock and god knows what else that jabbed into him on his descent. He heard the man that had grabbed him shout and then a splash. He chanced opening his eyes just a bit to see that he too was hurtling towards the river at the bottom of the hill where the thug was currently struggling against the current to make it back towards land.   
Oh dear God.  
The wind rushed past his ears as he plummeted. He opened his mouth to scream, fear blurring his vision.  
I’m going to die.


	4. Does it make a sound?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The squad arrive at the scene

The sun had begun to set, dyeing the sky a vibrant mix of red and pink. Against his will he recalled a date he and Kevin had gone on, dining on the balcony of a restaurant. They'd agreed the food was abysmal. "It's like eating fried sludge, this place is four stars?" He'd griped, poking at a soggy potato.   
"At least the view is nice." Holt looked out at the radiant sunset. It was nice, but not extraordinary. Nothing like the sea, now that was a breathtaking sight. He turned to tell Kevin that but was rendered speechless at this new sight before him. His then-boyfriend in profile, staring loving out at the sky. He was draped in gentle gold and rose and the soft smile gracing his face made him look angelic, his hair a fiery halo being swept about in the wind.   
"Yes." He'd said, still captivated. "It is."  
.  
.  
“Officer down and abandoned car spotted at-” Holt got out of the patrol car and walked purposefully towards the crime scene. A traffic cop had been shot and killed and the car he laid next to was abandoned as if in a hurry. The radio was playing low and all the doors were open. So was the trunk. 

“We sent blood samples to the lab and they confirmed that there’s two vics. One is officer Bronwyn” said the uniform, pointing towards the dead man being placed on a stretcher. “And the other is unknown, we’re running it now.” Holt felt his hands begin to sweat. Unknown. He examined the blood, it was right by the trunk. There wasn’t enough for whoever it was to have bled out. Unless they were taken to a second location. He looked out into the expanse of trees and shrubbery that the highway overlooked. Listened to river. How long would it take a body to find a beach? He felt acutely aware of the world spinning beneath his feet. (Don't think about him don't think-)

“Captain?” He blinked, clearing his head. Peralta had snuck up on him and was now standing with a worried expression. “You ok? Wait- uh. Dumb question. Of course not, none of us are ok I was just-”   
“I’m fine Peralta.” He lied, turning away. “Seamus wouldn’t kill Kevin, not without making me-” Jolting, Holt was still for a moment before taking off.

He'd heard it. 

“Capta- CAPTAIN? UH!” Jake stood dumbfounded as Holt jumped the rail that separated the highway from the woodlands and rushed in, gun un-holstered. “Godda-” he rushed after him, fumbling with his own gun.   
“Where are we going!” Asked Charles, quick to follow Jake.  
“Ask the Captain, hey Captain where are we going?” 

Holt didn’t answer, listening closely and advancing as quickly and quietly as he could. He’d heard it. He knew he had.

A gunshot.


	5. Canary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hunt continues

Near the river they found quite a scene awaiting them.  
Three of Murphy’s goons; One soaked to the bone and pulling himself out of the river, one shouting and clutching his wounded arm and another holding a gun and shouting back at him. Holt surveyed the scene quickly while Charles and Jake apprehended the men. No sign of Kevin. He felt conflicted about this. He didn't allow himself to delve deeper into that particular wade pool of emotions, instead focusing back on the farce playing out in front of him.  
“He fucking shot me arrest him!”  
“If he wasn’t so goddamn big maybe he wouldnt’ve gotten in the way, arrest him!”

“How about we make it fair and arrest both you, sound good?” Said Peralta, locking the handcuffs. Holt glared at the two criminals. 

“What happened?” He demanded. The two thugs suddenly found themselves speechless, fuming silently. The wounded man’s nose also seemed to be heavily injured, it was bent and blood was running down his chin. Jake began to gag. “Peralta take them into custody, see if Rosa can get anything out of them.” The last man (who had to be fished out of the water) proved to be no help either. All he did was shake violently and the only words he said coherently were “Cold” and “Jesus christ!” As Holt was despairing about this, Santiago ran up to him.  
“Captain!” She exclaimed, “The blood doesn’t belong to Kevin!” Holt felt a numb happiness but knew this was only a superficial victory. Just because Kevin hadn’t bled there didn’t mean he hadn’t bled and even if he hadn’t bled it didn’t mean he wasn’t- “And they found Seamus Murphy!” He narrowed his eyes, heart skipping a beat.  
“Why would you not LEAD with that?” Peralta said, perp walking the criminals back up the hill with some difficulty.  
.  
.  
.  
Seamus Murphy looked mildly annoyed at being interrogated, which was infuriating. The room was stuffy and whenever anyone opened the door Holt's glasses fogged. He paced slowly as he listened to his detectives one by one try to break Murphy. He’d been found in another car trying to escape the scene but had been apprehended. Kevin hadn’t been in the car, there was a search in the river and surrounding woods but so far nothing had turned up. Kevin could be being held somewhere, anywhere. The search radius was too wide, he might not ever have even been in the car. He could be d.  
Holt mentally stopped himself. (No, do not go there. It will help nothing.)  
Could be...frightened. Alone.

Both Diaz and Peralta had thrown a chair, (Peralta had been hit as the chair ricocheted off of the brick walls). Santiago had attempted to get in his head to no avail (Seamus had stayed cordial and unbothered the entire time, completely sure of himself.) and Boyle had been doomed from the start frankly. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about officer.” Murphy said smugly, bearing his teeth like an animal. “Didn’t even know Holt had a husband.”  
“Liar, you told the Captain that-”  
“The only interaction I’ve ever had with the Captain is requesting a block party permit. I don’t know the man personally officer.”  
“That’s DETECTIVE to you bucko!” 

Holt rolled his eyes, Charles wasn’t going to get anywhere. Seamus' story was steadfast. He’d never spoken to Holt, he didn’t know what was going on. He'd never seen or heard of Kevin. The knowing looks he kept giving the two way mirror did nothing to calm him down. He thought he'd won, the bastard. Just then the door burst open and there stood Santiago, practically bouncing up and down.

“Captain, I have an idea!” 

“Santiago, you look positively overjoyed at the fact that my husband is missing and possibly dead.” He spit and she sobered immediately, looking a bit shocked. He distantly regretted snapping.

“Oh!! No I’m sorry I just- I’m very sad of course-”  
“The idea Santiago?”  
“Mhm, Flounderingisworsethansilence. So! Murphy won’t talk right?” He waited for her to continue and when her silence stretched on he raised an eyebrow.  
“Detective I’m not here to play call and response with you.”  
“Right, ok. Murphy won’t talk and neither will any of his associates. But what if we SAY that they did?”  
“You mean lie?” Santiago steeled herself to be yelled at once again, barreling on through the rest of her proposal before she could be shut down.  
“Yes. I know it’s unethical and might be bending the rules a bit but I think these guys would like to save their own skin more than Murphy’s and if they thought-”

“Do it.” She sputtered, eyes wide.  
“Um...yes!” She grinned and saluted. “Alright sir.” He chose to ignore her beaming smile and instead turn his attention towards the mirrored glass. Murphy was leaning back in his chair as Charles exited, relaxed. The picture of a man who thought he held the world in his palm. Holt clenched his fist. 

“Sorry Captain, I couldn’t get him to talk.” Said Boyle, standing beside him. 

He remembered waking up this morning and taking a moment to appreciate Kevin's sleeping posture. It was abysmal but endearing, his limbs were always flailed about during the night no matter how neatly he tucked himself in. He remembered thinking how difficult it would be to be without him, now he thought of how difficult it would be to be WITHOUT him. Nowhere to visit, no one to talk to. His chest hurt dully.

“We’re going to do better than make him talk, Boyle.” Holt growled, raising his chin and sneering. “We’re going to make this punk sing.”


	6. Coalmine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Interrogation

Amy slammed her palm down on the table, The perp jumped back in his chair. “Your friends talked.” Jake did his best to not look flustered, he wasn't the one being interrogated. He looked up at her, maybe later.  
“I knew it! Fucking rats I knew they wouldn’t be able to keep their mouths shut!”  
“Calm down.” Amy demanded.  
“And on top of that Murphy’s ready to sell you both down the river.” Jake grinned at the man wrapped in a blanket. “Literally.”  
“Jake.”   
“It was right there!”  
Amy rolled her eyes. “C’mon man.”  
“What are they saying?” The detectives turned their attention to him, smirking.

The too-bright fluorescent lights made everything crisp and almost sterile in its cleanliness. Charles hated hospitals, they had the worst food. He looked down at his clipboard. “They’re saying that it was all on you. You killed officer Bronwyn and Professor Kevin Cozner.”   
“What!? Bullshit!!” Came the roaring reply.   
“That’s what they’re saying. It’s three against one. The wounded man, handcuffed to a hospital bed, punched the pillow. Charles winced.

“I didn’t do it!” Growled the man with the gun.  
“Yeah? Well tough. Because thanks to Murphy and your little pals selling you out you’re going to jail.” Rosa stood with both her hands on the table, towering above the last perp. “For a long time.” She menaced, making the man shrink back in his chair. The overhead lights flickered.

“Kidnapping his bad enough but two counts of murder? It’s not looking good for you.” Amy said, circling the desk. 

“An officer and a Captain’s husband to boot. You’re going away for a long time.” Charles said, shaking his head. 

“Unless, you can help us out?”   
.  
.  
.  
“Yeah, we kidnapped that dude. Together.”

“It was Murphy’s plan, really. I just work for him.

“We got him in the van, and it was supposed to be easy from there.”

“We shot him up with uhh, whatever. Whatever Murphy told us to. Some sleeping drug.”

“Then once he was out, we ditched the van and got in the car.”

“He woke up though, wasn’t supposed to wake up.”

“Murphy was pissed about it.”

“That dude, officer whatever. The prof was making too much noise. So I shot him.”

“He shot him, not me.”  
“He shot him, not me. I went to check on the Professor and he was real quiet suddenly. Thought he was scared but then-”

“It was fucking incredible, dude LEAPS like a wild animal and completely ANNIHILATES-”  
“My fucking nose! It’s like-”  
“What the fuck!! I was running after him and then we both fell, there was a hill. I had to let him go, it was crazy man.”

“Right, but where is Professor Cozner?” Amy asked, tapping her foot.

“I don’t know, he didn’t fall in the water with me. Would’a noticed.”  
“I dunno, by the time I got there he was gone.”  
“Dunno where he is now, but I saw Murphy take him. Caught him before he fell.” The perp shook his head. “Poor bastard.”


	7. Phooey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's painfully obvious I don't know anything about police  
> Oh and beans are spilled.

The door to the interrogation room slammed close as Jake and Amy left. “Well that was a waste of time and horribly depressing.” Jake intoned, then perked up. “Who gets to tell the Captain?” He smiled at the squad, who were draped over various surfaces in the break room. “No luck with you guys either?” A unanimous groan filled the air. 

“Nah, My perp didn’t know anything.”  
“Mine only knew that Murphy took Kevin but not wear. He also gave me a great recommendation for goose egg pancakes-" Charles stopped, looking around nervously as if he'd been recently broken from a trance. "-But given the circumstances I doubt I’ll be able to enjoy them much…”

“Nice save Man.”

Amy placed her head in her hands. “Guys this is awful, what are we going to tell-”

“Captain Holt?” Holt’s voice boomed from the doorway. Everyone turned in astonishment at this flare. “I do not need to be told anything, I knew Murphy’s men wouldn’t know anything.”

“You did!?”

“Yes, why else would Murphy be so relaxed?”

“He stupidly believes in the loyalty of his subordinates?” Rosa guessed. 

“Phooey.” Holt practically spat. Jake clutched his pearls in faux shock at the expletive. “He knew that no one had followed him. He wanted to torture me, to leave me forever wondering if Kevin was dead or not.”

“Schrodinger’s cat. Schrodinger’s Kev!” Jake exclaimed. Holt stared. “Right, sorry, the...missing husband thing.” he smiled nervously. Charles pat him on the back. 

“But sir, then why have us interview them? Wouldn’t our resources be better spent looking for Kevin?” Amy asked. 

“I needed to know what happened, in order to better execute a perfect lie.” With that Holt slammed down a piece of paper. It was a map of the area Kevin had gone missing in.  
“This, is the area where Kevin escaped. This, the area where Kevin was recaptured and this, the area where we picked up Murphy.” The squad crowded around the table listening. 

“So the area where Kevin could be is only from here to here.” Holt drew a red outline around the area he spoke of. “Detectives, I need your help.”  
__________________________________________________________  
“Give it up Murphy we know you know where Kevin is.”  
Seamus rolled his eyes, leaning forward in his chair. “When are you guys going to get tired of this? I told you and every other officer, I don’t know that guy.”

“Oh don’t you? Then why do we have a witness saying he saw you with him?” He looked unsure for a moment before waving it away. Gotcha, dirtbag. Jake grinned. 

“One of my guys tell you that? They’re lying to save their asses.”  
“Really? Then why’d we also find his phone right where that supposed liar said it’d be?” He took out a phone covered in dirt and waved it in the air. Seamus reached out to grab it but Jake quickly moved his arm out of reach. “Oop! Sorry that’s evidence right there...I’m sure your fingerprints are on it anyway.” 

“This is bull!” Seamus cried, slamming his fists on the table.

“Say that all you want, you’re still be the one going to jail for- what’s he going to jail for Ames~?”

“One count of murder, one count of conspiracy to commit murder, one count of kidnapping.”  
“And?”  
She smiled. “....And being a dick.”  
“That’s right! Any last words?” Seamus hesitated, clearly mulling it over.  
“That’s alright. Being the last one spotted with a missing Captain’s husband is something I’m sure the Judge will love!” Jake said, standing to leave. “See ya never Murphy~!”

“Wait!” Jake and Amy held their breath and Jake tilted his head back. “....If I tell you where he is.” Seamus glared up at the detectives. “What’s in it for me?”


	8. Don't close your eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunion

Kevin’s throat was sore, he realized.   
The sky was out of focus.   
Where  
Where was he?

He tried to move and found that his hands were still tied, but his feet weren’t.   
His memories flooded back to him, being kidnapped, in the trunk, running. He tried to cradle his head, which was quickly blossoming into a migraine. He had been saved from falling from the man in the black jacket and dragged through the woodlands kicking and screaming. Ah, that explains the throat.

“HELP ME!” He’d resisted as much as he could. Dug his heels into the ground and went limp. He slammed his fists into every part of the man he could and attempted to kick. He’d screamed in rage and fear, he remembered shaking, sobbing. “SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!”   
Then he was on the ground, gun pressed gently between his eyes. His body told him to scream again but he couldn’t.   
Every single sound shriveled up and got stuck in his throat.   
He felt a sticks and rocks and grass jabbing into him, a pain in his neck. He tried to swallow.

“Shut. Up.” The man hissed, leaning down. He looked haggard, wild. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. “Shut up or I’ll kill you right now I swear to God. You’re not worth all this trouble...all this-” He looked up and Kevin’s eyes widened. Sirens. “Shit.”   
During this moment of distraction Kevin utilized the most basic of self defense techniques.   
Using all the strength he had to kick the man directly in his groin.

Rolling out of the way of the howling crumpled form, Kevin managed to get back on his feet and grab the gun. It felt odd in his hands, he didn’t like it.   
The man shrieked in pain, reaching out to wrap a hand around Kevin’s ankle. He stomped on it and backed up, hesitating for a moment before taking off running again. “I’M GOING TO FIND YOU AND GUT YOU LIKE A-” 

He’d been too far away to hear that last bit but it still made him shiver. He needed to go, he needed to run.   
He sat up. The ground. Why was he on the ground? His neck.   
Kevin reached up to check the dull pain, another syringe. He’d been focusing on the gun but he’d been jabbed with something. A syringe. He was sure of it.

He struggled to get up, the gun, where was the gun? He’d dropped it. He stumbled forward, leaning on trees, lurching. Raymond. Tears burned his eyes again. He tried not to think about him but he was all he could think about. What were their last words to each other? Something benign. About the weather or grumbling over coffee.   
He tripped over a root and it struck him how cliche this all was, being pursued by a killer and  
And  
He remembered now. His eyes were closing and he felt like it was all getting too narrow, everything was folding up on itself.   
He heard voices, shouting. He couldn’t get up again, he was going to die. It was the man, he’d found him. He let the tears run down his face.

Someone was speaking to him but he couldn’t hear.

His last words to Raymond 

He was being lifted now, carried. Or was he floating? He muttered something incoherent even to himself.

Had been “I love you.”

It was getting dark quickly, he felt like years had passed since morning but it had just been a day, less than that. 

As he left for work.

Excited voices surrounded him, too loud.  
His head hurt.  
Pounded.  
His heart was too slow  
Too slow.  
He shut his eyes.

“Kevin!”   
And when he opened them.  
“Raymond?”   
There he was.


End file.
